Display-box



No. 6l9,300. Patented Feb. l4, I399.

A. II. HANBE.

DISPLAY BOX.

(Applies-tint filed Aug. 26. 1898.)

(No Model.)

- ZWTNESS ES; INVENTOR:

5 warns prrzns ca. momnm w suwarcm, 0 c4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY M. HANCE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DISPLAY-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,300, dated-February 14, 1899.

Application filed August 26, 1898. Serial No. 689,544. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTHONY M. HANCE, residing in the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Display-Box, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a box of light and economic construction capable of being used for packing and transporting small articles in quantity and which is so constructed that when stood upon end (for which purpose it is provided with a suitable hinged support) it will consist of an upper portion which exhibits only an advertising-surface and a lower portion in which are displayed self-feeding vertical rows of the articles which the box is adapted to contain.

I have illustrated and will describe my invention as I have adapted it for the wholesale packing, transportation, and display of smaller boxes containing the articles-design ed for the consumer -such, for instance, as the small telescopic boxes, about two or three inches long, an inch or two wide, and less than an inch deep, which are frequently used in connection with the sale of matches, cigarettes,medicinal tablets, and many other similar articles; but although my invention is well adapted for the packing and display of these small boxes, yet it is also adapted for the similar display of any more or less rectangular articles having uniform dimensions, such as cakes of soap, tin boxes of blacking, &c.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in perspective a display-box constructed according to my invention emptied of its contents and accompanied with a lid with which the box may be protected when used for purposes of transportation. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the back of my box, showing the hinged support. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the line 3 3, Fig. 4:. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one of my display-boxes filled with a series of the small telescopic boxes to which I have referred.

My display-box may be made of pasteboard, thin wood, or other suitable material. Its interior width must be equal to or a multiple of the corresponding dimension of the article which it is designed to contain. Thus in the drawings, where it is shown as containing small telescopic boxes, its width, excluding partitions, is twice that of one of the small boxes. The depth of the box will usually equal the depth of the article which it is to contain, although it may be so constructed as to contain two or more layers on top of each other. Its height must be equal to that of a series of quite a number of the contained articles. In the drawings it is shown of the height to contain a vertical series of six small boxes. Where the width of the box dorresponds to a single dimension of the contained article, the box will have no partitions; but where, as in the drawings, it is designed to contain two vertical series of such articles alongside of each other it is preferably divided vertically by the partition A.

Covering the upper half of the box is a permanent half-top B. This half-top, if occupying literally one-half of the box, will conceal as many of the contained articles as are displayed below it. It is not necessary, however, that it should be literally a half-top, but only that its length in proportion to the box shall be such that when the box is filled with vertical series of the contained articles the lower edge of the half-top shall coincide with the division-line between two of the contained articles. I To the back of the box is attached a folding hinged support 0. This support may be made of asingle strip of pasteboard bent over at the top (where it is reinforced by muslin) and having the bent-over portion 0, which is comparatively short, fastened to the back of the box at the proper height The extension of the supportis determined by a strip of tape or string (Z, secured at the one end under the portion 0 and at the other end to the lower end of the hinged support. For practical purposes the construction of the hinged support which I have described is avery advantageous one, for although the support is a restrained one there is practically but one point of attachment to the box instead of two, as are usual in such cases, and the restraining-tape always lies flat between the box and the support when folded to.

For purposes of transportation it is desir able that the box should be protected by a cheaply-constructed cover E, Fig. 1, which after it has performed its protective function may be discarded.

The box, with its contents, is stood by the ported in an oblique position and the articles dealer uponits end, supported by the hinged support, so as to present the aspect seen in Fig. 4. The permanent half-top B of the box is designed to be ornamented by an advertising or display placard, in connection with which the goods are to be. Sold to the customer. Under these circumstances the half-top presents the appearance of being the bent-back lid of a box of but half the size of the reality. Upon withdrawing one of the contained articles the vertical series to which it belonged at once slides downward, filling the vacancy, so that until the box is more than half emptied it presents for purposes of display the appearance of a full box.-

The self-filling or self-feeding capacity of the box is accompanied with a pleasing element of surprise to the purchaser, owing to the deceptive appearance of the size of the box.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A display-box for containing a series of articles of uniform size, the width and depth of the box being equal to or a multiple of the similar dimension of one of the contained articles and the height being equal to a number of times the similar dimension of one of the contained articles, the upper portion of the box being provided with a permanent cover for the reception of advertising matter and whereby those articles above the bottom of saidhalf-top are covered, a hinged support at the back of the box whereby it may be supported in an oblique position and the articles fed by gravity from behind the half- ,top; substantially as described.

2. A display-box for containing a series of articles of uniform size, the width and depth of the box being equal to or a multiple of the similar dimension of one of the contained articles, and the height being equal to a number of times the similar dimension of one of the contained articles, the upper portion of the box being provided with a permanent cover for the reception of advertising matter and whereby those articles above the bottom of said half-top are covered, said half-top being of a length which is an exact multiple of the similar dimension of the contained articles and in appearance resembling the turnedback lid of the box, and a hinged support at the back of the box whereby it may be supfed by gravity from behind the half-top.

3. A display-box for containing a series of articles of uniform size, the width of the box being a multiple of the similar dimension of one of the contained articles and the depth and height of the box being equal to or a multiple of the similar dimension of one of the contained articles, the upper portion of the box being provided with a permanent cover for the reception of advertising matter and whereby those articles above the bottom of said half-top are covered, a dividing-partition separating the vertical lines of the contained articles, and a hinged support at the back of the box whereby it may be supported in an oblique position and the articles fed by gravity from behind the half-top; substantially as described.

, 4. A display-box having a permanently-secured half-cover and provided with a hinged support C having an attaching-section 0 secured to the box-back, and a strip (1 secured at one end under the section 0 and connected at its opposite end to the free end of the support 0; substantially as described.

5. A transportation and display box, for containing a series of smaller uniform articles, the width of the box being a multiple of the similar dimension of one of the contained articles; the depth of the box being equal to or a multiple of the similar dimension of one of the contained articles; the height of the box being equal to a number of times the similar dimension of one of the contained articles; vertical partitions separating each vertical line of the contained articles; the upper portion of the top of the box' being permanently'covered with a half-top, designed for advertising purposes,which in height is equal to a less number of times the similar dimension of one of thecontained articles than that which is represented by the height of the box; and a hinged support at the back of the box having an attaching-section c secured to the box-back and a strip (1 secured at one end under the attaching-section and at the opposite end connected to the free end of said support; substantially as described.

ANTHONY M. IIANCE.

Witnesses:

G. HERBERT JENKINS, JAMES H. BELL. 

